Are you an entrepreneur with a passion for tackling social or environmental challenges in southwest Minnesota? The Initiators Fellowship is here to support you! Designed for idea- and early-stage entrepreneurs, this fellowship helps foster the development of social enterprises. These are ventures with social or environmental good built into their mission and operations.
What Makes a Social Enterprise
A social enterprise goes beyond simply caring for the community. While a coffee shop that donates to local causes is valuable, it’s not a social enterprise. However, a coffee shop that supports unhoused youth with jobs, career exploration, and training is a social enterprise. Social enterprise ventures are profit- and purpose-driven. If you are creating a business with a strong focus on human, social, or environmental benefits, then you might be a social entrepreneur! Social enterprises can be nonprofits or for-profit businesses.
Who is the Ideal Social Entrepreneur?
Social entrepreneurs with a social business idea ready to be tested, in early planning stages, or in operation for five years or less, can apply for the Initiators Fellowship. Fellows are selected based on their innovative spirit, perseverance and ability to contribute to the success of others in their cohort. We aim to create a balanced, complementary cohort with members who offer diverse ideas and are committed to Greater Minnesota’s rural renewal. To apply, you have to live and work in and your social enterprise must serve one of the four Minnesota Initiative Foundation regions covered by the Fellowship, or within a tribal nation adjacent to one of the four defined regions.
What We Look For
The application process is competitive, so it’s important to know what makes you stand out. Applicants must have a project that will impact the community and wider region. We seek social entrepreneurs who are driven to create and innovate. They should be ready to develop their leadership skills, and dedicated to helping create welcoming, just, and equitable communities. Fellows are selected based on their passion, commitment, and potential to meaningfully contribute to their Greater Minnesota community through their leadership and entrepreneurship.
A Collaborative Journey
The Initiators Fellowship is more than just a program; it’s a collaborative journey. Fellows will have the opportunity to grow and learn alongside mentors, becoming better versions of themselves and co-creating their future. The Initiators Fellowship provides a supportive community, leadership development and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in Greater Minnesota. The fellowship stipend can be used for living and learning expenses, allowing fellows to fully participate in the program for 20 hours per week. However, this stipend cannot be used for direct expenses of the social enterprise.
Find a full program description and “Frequently Asked Questions” for the Initiators Fellowship.
Join Us
The application for the 2026-2027 Initiators Fellowship cohort opens on May 1. If you are a social entrepreneur in southwest Minnesota eager to make a difference, we encourage you to apply and join a community of like-minded individuals working towards a better future.
